Playing cards with conventional bas-relief indicia

ABSTRACT

PLAYING CARDS OF A DECK OF PLAYING CARDS ARE MADE WITH COMMON BACK SURFACES AND FRONT SURFACES HAVING RAISED STANDARD PLAYING CARD VALUE AND SUIT INDICIA AND CORRESPONDING PRINTED INDICIA.

June 6, 1972 BARR 3,667,759

PLAYING CARDS WITH CONVENTIONAL BAS-RELIEF INDICIA Filed June 11, 1970 I A) VENT OF? RUTH l BQRI? QTTOR/UEYS United States Patent Ofice 3,667,759 Patented June 6, 1972 3,667,759 PLAYING CARDS CONVENTIONAL BAS-RELIEF lNDICIA Ruth L. Barr, 53 Webster Acres, Webster Groves, Mo. 63119 Filed June 11, 1970, Ser. No. 45,328 Int. Cl. A63f 1/02 US. Cl. 273152.1 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Playing cards of a deck of playing cards are made with common back surfaces and front surfaces having raised standard playing card value and suit indicia and corresponding printed indicia.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Persons who are either sightless, permanently or temporarily, or who, because of sight difiiculties, have trouble distinguishing the indicia of ordinary playing illustration, represents the king of clubs. The card 5 is made up of a back panel and a front panel 20.

cards, have either had to learn Braille or not play. Frequently there are compelling psychological reasons why it is undesirable to suggest that a person learn Braille. For example, when a person has had an eye operation, or an accident, and there is some doubt about when, if ever, he will again be able to see, the suggestion that the person learn Braille is so disheartening as to delay or prolong the period of recovery.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide playing cards with the normal, familiar indicia printed so that sighted persons can play with them and raised so that they can be used by those who cannot discern the printed indicia.

Another object is to provide such cards which are easy to manufacture and use.

Other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the following disclosure and accompanying drawing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention, generally stated, playing cards are provided with value indicia in their usual positions and suit indicia closely adjacent thereto, both kinds of indicia being both printed and raised on the front surface of each card, while the back surface of each card is common to all of the cards so as to preclude identification from the back.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing, FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of one illustrative embodiment of playing card of this invention; and

FIG. 2 is an exploded view in perspective of two parts making up the card shown in 'FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing for one illustrative embodiment of playing card of this invention, reference numeral 1 indicates a card which, merely by way of Theback panel 10 is rectangular and smooth finishedon both faces. The bagk face of the back panel 10, which is not here shown, may be imprinted with any design which is common to the rest of the cards in the deck, or it may be left blank. It may even be embossed in a shallow common pattern to permit the sightless player to tell more readily which is the back, and if different decks are differently embossed, to tell in which deck a. card belongs. In the illustrative embodiment shown, however, the broad surfaces of the back panel 10 are smooth.

On the front surface of the back panel 10, a standard value indicia, in the illustrative embodiment shown, the letter K 11 is printed in the usual positions of such indicia, i.e., the upper lefthand and lower righthand corners, the latter being a rotated image of the former. In the embodiment shown, suit indicia, in the illustration, clubs 12 are printed adjacent the value indicia. Since the suit indicia are symmetrical, they are enantiomorphic.

The front panel 20 of this embodiment is made of a transparent plastic, plane, except for value indicia 21 and suit indicia 22 which are in has-relief and correspond to the indicia 11 and 12 in character and position. The front panel 20 and the rear panel are joined by means of any suitable adhesive or bonding means.

The plastic of which the front panel is made is preferably a thin thermoplastic plastic which can be molded on a hot die, but which will retain the set of the indicia. Numerous suitable plastics, such as those now used for blister packing, are available commercially.

It has been found that one can learn quickly to distinguish both values and suits, without any specific training. The cards are helpful to those with poor eyesight as well as those who are sightless, and can be used by the sighted as well, either in the company of those with sight difficulties, or under circumstances in which there is no light.

The position of the suit indicia, in a line vertically and toward the center lengthwise immediately adjacent value indicia has been found desirable and satisfactory, but some shifting of the suit indicia may be tolerable. The usual pictures of kings, queens and jacks may be printed on the cards if desired, although they do not serve a necessary function. The numerals of the value indicia are printed and raised as large and distinctly as possible consistent with ease of arranging of the cards in a hand and the character of the materials used.

In a bridge deck, the value indicia will run from 2 through 10 and jack through ace, in each of clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades. For pinochle, the usual duplicates of each suit from ace through 9 will be used.

Numerous variations in the construction of the playing cards of this invention within the scope of the appended claims will occur to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure. Merely by way of example, the printing can be done on the back surface of the front panel, particularly if the rear panel is embossed. A third thin sheet or panel, bearing the printed indicia, can be sandwiched between the front and rear panels. These variations are merely illustrative.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired'to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Playing cards of a deck of playing cards, comprising backs indistinguishable by sight and touch on all the cards of said deck and front surfaces exhibiting conventional value and suit indicia and having in the upper left and lower right corners has-relief conventional value indicia and immediately adjacent thereto bas-relief conventional suit indicia.

2. The playing cards of claim 1 wherein said backs are smooth.

3. The playing card of claim 1 wherein the exhibited value and suit indicia of each card and printed on a paper surface and the has-relief indicia are formed in a clear plastic sheet overlying said paper surface. I

4, The playing card 0f ,c1aim 4 wherein the exhibited value and wit indicia substantially coincide in registry.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,233,545 7/1917 Biucchi 273- 152.1 337,755 3/1886 Endieott 273 152.1 3,068,010 12/1962 Hagopian 273 152.1 1,077,865 11/1913 Atkins 273 134 AD FOREIGN PATENTS 24,741 1905 Great Britain 273-4521 15,544 1891 Great Britain 273 1521 1,808,099 5/1970 Germany 273-1521 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner 1 us; 01. XFR. 273--DIG. 27 

